To tell you honestly, I am not an expert on sea cucumbers. I first heard it through a Christian radio program. Since then I got curious until I attended a session and discovered so many things. One is I found out that this aquatic resource is common in the Philippines yet only a few knew its high income potentials if cultivated and process properly. I could not believe how high the demand for this aquatic resource in the international market. This could mean livelihood to many to aleviate poverty or entrepreneurial pursuits or investment opportunity. I need not be a business guru to understand that this matter. So are you.

Sea cucumbers are actually not new to Philippines as our country is surrounded by bodies of waters. Harvesting of sea cucumbers has been a source of income to many families in the Philippines, especially to those living near the sea shores. It’s just that many of us still need to be educated on its proper cultivation and processing for a more profitable business and long term source of income.

…Sea cucumbers may be weird marine creatures but to some people, they are delectable. Across Asia, they have long been a staple in peoples’ diets, mainly in soups, stews and stir-fries. They are highly nutritious — described as “an ideal tonic food” — as they provide more protein and less fat than most foods. “Like tofu, it is flavorless but absorbs the flavors of its surrounding seasonings and foods,” wrote a food maven and epicure.

Generally, sea cucumbers are sold as trepang, which is easier to store and handle than the fresh product. They are valued as an exotic delicacy and a flavorful condiment for soups, noodles and other dishes.

In some parts of Europe, whole beche-de-mer can be stuffed with a filling of pork, cornstarch and chopped fried fish. Cooked fresh and quickly on a hot griddle, espardenyes are served with olive, sea salt and a squeeze of lemon in Spain.

Like their terrestrial cousins, sea cucumbers can — unsurprisingly, perhaps — also be pickled. In some instances, they are prepared as salads and eaten fresh minus the internal organs. In other parts of the world, the internal organs of some species like Stichopus variegatus are also fermented for food.

To some people, sea cucumbers are more than just food. In fact, there are people who believe sea animals possess some aphrodisiac powers. The reason for this belief is the peculiar reaction of the creature on being kneaded or disturbed slightly with fingers. It swells and stiffens and a jet of water is released from one end. This behavior is similar to the erection and subsequent ejaculation of the male sexual organ.

By the way, people in Palau use the sea cucumber to protect their feet when walking in the reef. They squeeze the sea cucumber until it squirts out sticky threads, which they put on their feet. Even though this practice may sound harsh, the sea cucumber returns to the reef unharmed.

In the Philippines, sea cucumbers are found in burrows, seagrass beds or sandy areas with large amounts of coral rubbles. Some are found in waters of up to 20 meters deep. These can be found off the coastal waters of Zamboanga City; Zamboanga del Sur; Zamboanga del Norte; Basilan Province; Jolo, Sulu; South Cotabato; Surigao del Norte; Villas eal and Catbalogan, Samar; Negros Occidental; Cebu; Calatagan, Bangas; Polilio Island, Quezon; Masinloc, Zambales; San Vicente, Cagayan; San Fernando, La Union; Bolinao, Bani and Alaminos, Pangasinan.

For almost a century, the harvesting and processing of sea cucumbers has been a source of income for many Filipino families. As Naga, the publication of the World Fish Center, reported in 1987: “The steady demand for sea cucumbers from other countries has made sea cucumber harvesting an attractive source of income for many Filipinos. In many islands and coastal villages, the income derived from it constitutes a significant portion of a family’s livelihood.”

Today, sea cucumber is a multi-million dollar industry. In the United States, price rate of dried sea cucumber is pegged at US$180 to US$250 per kilogram. The Philippines is home to 100 species of sea cucumbers, of which 31 are commercially important. “There is a big export market for sea cucumbers particularly for Hong Kong, China, Korea and Japan,” says Dr. Rafael D. Guerrero III, former executive director of the Laguna-based Philippine Council for Aquatic and Marine Research and Development (PCAMRD). Aside from food, there’s also an emerging market for the use of sea cucumbers in the pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries. Common medicinal uses of sea cucumber in China include treating: weakness, impotence, debility of the aged, constipation due to intestinal dryness, and frequent urination. As demand continues to escalate, the supply dwindles – to the extent that their population is now in jeopardy.

Sea cucumber stocks are under intense fishing pressure throughout the world, according to a recent report released by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). Most high value commercial species have been depleted. In Asia and the Pacific, the most sought-after species are largely depleted. The region generates some 20,000 to 40,000 tons per year, which are exported to China and other Asian markets. Most of them come from Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and the Philippines.

“The fast pace of development of sea cucumber fisheries to supply growing international demand is placing most fisheries and many sea cucumber species at risk,” pointed out the FAO report, Sea Cucumbers: A Global Review of Fisheries and Trade. Sea cucumbers are utilized almost exclusively as an export commodity. This huge export makes the population of sea cucumbers in the country to decline significantly. “Yes, we used to have a lot of sea cucumbers in our coastal areas,” admits Dr. Guerrero. “They have been depleted because of over-harvesting.”

But the good news is: There are now on-going projects for the artificial breeding and culture of sea cucumbers being conducted by the Marine Science Institute (MST) of the University of the Philippines (UP) in Bolinao, Pangasinan. In Mindanao, the UP is also conducting pond culture of sea cucumber in Davao City, in cooperation with a private entity, the Alson Aquaculture.

In addition, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) has recently established the country’s first-ever commercial hatchery for sea cucumber to enhance massive raising of the commodity nationwide. The hatchery produces 60,000 “juvenile” sea cucumbers every month, which can be distributed to farmers who are interested in culturing them in fish ponds, or for sea ranching (stocking them in a designated space in the sea for gathering later).

“Sea cucumber is a good material for sea ranching because, based on its behavior, it can travel just one to two meters a day and about one kilometer a year,” the BFAR said in a statement.

The mortality rate of cultured juveniles is high. But once they weigh 20 grams and placed in the seafloor or in ponds, the survival rate is almost 100%, according to Dr. Westly Rosario, executive director of the BFAR’s National Fisheries Research Development Institute.

In a recent report, Northern Luzon news reporter Yolanda Fuertes wrote: “Aside from the initial cost of the juvenile sea cucumbers (Php5 each), they are not fed commercial food, depending only on organic matter in the culture pond for nourishment (salinity should be at least 20 parts per thousand) or the sea tidal flats which are their natural habitats.”

Dr. Guerrero said that sea farming of sea cucumbers “can be a profitable and environmentally-friendly livelihood industry for coastal communities.” The PCAMRD, a line agency of the Department of Science and Technology, is supporting such kind of projects.

A study conducted at BFAR showed that it takes six months for the sea cucumber to reach 250 grams, the desired weight in the export market. One hectare of fishpond can accommodate 10,000 sea cucumbers. This means that after six months, a farmer can harvest at least 2.5 tons. But before they can be exported, they have to be dried first – shrunk to about 10% of their live weight. So, the marketable harvest would only be 250 kilograms. At P4,000 per kilogram, the farmer earns a whooping Phpi million from his one-hectare pond in six months.

For interested investors, entrepreneurs and those who would want to enter into the sea cucumber business, I can refer you to someone who is sincerely promoting it. Not to mention other agriculture and aqua culture potentials he help promote and develops in the past. His details are available upon request.

c o said,

ahmed said,

Olem said,

Hi! I’m interested in breeding sea cucumber.When I was still in elementary we use to collect sea cucumber together with the other sea shells in our province for personal consumption. My relatives in the province are still doing the same thing.
I just resigned from work and is planning of putting up a business. This is my top choice and I would like to equip myself with the right knowledge before starting. Actually I’m looking for seminars on sea cucumber breeding. I would really appreciate it if you can you send me the contact information of your friend, olem_forte@yahoo.com.

mimibelarma said,

Hi, im into sea cucumber farming and been trying to find contact of those people interested in buying the sea cucumbers (SC) fresh or alive.. can anybody suggest to me please???
Hi there Olem, I’ve been seeing your name in most blogs that i came accross while advertising my concern, if you are from northern luzon near Pangasinan i can possibly feed you of knowledge in breeding SC. I can be contacted at my email mimibelarma@yahoo.com

Abdi Segulle said,

i live in the UK but i am originally from Somali Land, i have just returned from Somali Land and while i was there i met a gentleman from Saudi Arabia who told me about the Sea Cucumber, i spoke with few freinds about the subject and they advised me that the SC i widely available in the coast of Somali Land, i have good connection with the Somali Land Government and can secure a business apportunity there in my home land, howver, i am looking for some one or a company to work with, so if you have any idea how to help me then please contact me. my email is : a.sugulle@hotmail.co.uk

George said,

I am presently looking for a supply of sea cucumber and I wish to seek a source where I can establish a steady supply for a very steady demand. I am willing to use a place nearby as a base or a buying station where I can load and ship the sea cucumbers directly to the consignees.

juwell said,

I,M A SEA CUCUMBER BUYER OR TRADER IN TANDAG NEAR SURIGAO, LAST… ALMOST 7 YEARS AGO, AT FIRST IT’S GOOD PROFIT, AFTER FEW MONTHS, MY BUYER WAS MISSING, THEY DID NOT COME BACK ANYMORE, AS I HEARD MANY COUNTRIES DELIVER TO CHINA,THEY HAVE MANY STOCK IN CHINA, THEY STOP BUYING, BIG PROBLEM I HAVE MANY STOCK OF SEA CUCUMBER, AND I LOAN BECAUSE ITS NICE INCOME AT STARTING, AND THE BUYER SUDDENLY STOP BUYING, MANY PLACE IN PHILIPIINES EXPERIENCE THIS PROBLEM,…… THE BUYER IS MISSING……. THE BUYER SUDDENLY STOP BUYING OR SUDDENLY MISSING, PIG IS HAPPY, SO MUST BETTER INVEST OUR LOCAL MARKET, MARKET IS STABLE BECAUSE WE ALREADY KNOW FILIPINO IS CONSUMING, UNLIKE SEA CUCUMBER ONLY CHINESE IS EATING. 2ND EXPERIENCE IS CHINA BUYING COPPER STONE IN PHILIPPINES,THEY ALSO SUDDENLY STOP BUYING OR MISSING, BECAUSE OF OVER STOCK IN CHINA DUE TO MANY COUNTRIES DELIVER TO CHINA, MANY FILIPINO BUSINESSMAN LOSSING. MUST BETTER INVEST IN A LOCAL MARKET, BUYER IS STABLE, ,,,NO MISSING,,,,,,

TOLINS said,

THANKS! Juwell, my father is also a victim of copper stone in south cotabato, at first many chinese come here, they said they want to buy copper.it’s true, they will buy, I have lot of stock of copper stone after few months, my buyer was also missing,as I heard due to price was go down because too many countries deliver to china, china have a lot of stock, they suddenly stop buying, only last year or 2009, maybe all of us know that the price of metal was suddenly go down, even we ask the BOTE BAKAL, buying of metal scrupt trader. and copper is also kind of metal MANY PLACE ALSO IN PHILIPPINES EXPERIENCE THIS PROBLEM,,COPPER STONE TRADER,, NOT ONLY ME. AND I THINK NOT ONLY IN PHILIPPINES BUT ALSO IN OTHER COUNTRY I agree to invest in our local market. buyer is stable.,,, BUYER WILL NOT MISSING,,, SPECIALLY SEA CUCUMBER AS I KNOW, THERE ARE SO MANY KINDS OF SEA CUCUMBER, OTHER ARE NO PRICE VALUE AND CAN BE FOUND IN SO MANY PLACES AND COUNTRIES, AROUND THE WORLD, THE BUYER OR MALAKAS KUMAIN IS ONLY CHINA.CHINESE IN PHILIPPINES, I DONT KNOW IF THEY EAT, WALA NGA BENTA SA PALENGKE EH, SA BAGAY GAWIN NALANG LAROAN,, HAHAHAHAH

GRACE said,

We are the trader of sea cucumber before , our buyer also missing, they did not come back anymore, because many countries supply in china not only philippines, china stop buying. SO MUST BETTER TO INVEST IN OUR LOCAL MARKET, BUYER IS STABLE, FOREVER

MORTATAY said,

SEA CUCUMBER IS NATURAL AND HIGHLY MEDICINAL AND NUTRICIOUS TOO HAVE MY COUNTRY HAS SO MUCH OF IT AND IT IS A NEW FARMING FILED U CAN CONTACT ME I WOULD LEAD U TO TEH APROPRIATE AUTHORITES SO U CAN ENGAGE IN BUZINESS

Chen E said,

Nazim said,

Hello Chen,
I am interested to find an investor as well to expand sea cucumber farms in the Maldives.
Would highly appreciate if you can find me an investor as well.
My email is naazim@gmail.com
Thanks
Nazim

I’d like offer you a sea cucumber project. I know that China is the first consumer with other countries from Asia. I have thought-out that is very possible that you know of some person interested to invest in our project. We have 80% the investing for first stage the project, this only is the laboratory stage, but we need investment the second stage that is larva’s ripeness; and third stage, packaging and marketing.

What is needed in first stage are: salaries, supplies and expenses. We have infrastructure and machinery.

In the second stage is necessary: infrastructure, machinery, salaries, supplies, and expenses. We have lands with ponds

In the third stage the needs are: salaries, supplies, expenses, transportation and packing plant.

Our project is thinked to commerce to Asia and marine repopulation with Mexican government, as isostichopus fuscus is an endangered species.

I’d like send you the information our project, contains a brief summary, enviroment impact project, authorization enviroment proyect, commerce’s permission, information financial, pictures and images. The proyect is in spanish but I will translate it, I only need to know if this is of your interest.

faiz ahmed said,

hi i am from maldives also we have many types of sea cucumbers i am looking for buyers.if anybody has interest to buy sea cucumber;pls.inform me by email;alfalfa.maldives@gmail.com thanks;from faiz ahmed

Ais said,

Good day everyone. If you are searching for a regular reliable supply of dried sea cucumber from the Philippines, feel free to contact me at 09175650173, (02) 567-1677, or aissa.ang@gmail.com. We have a steady supply of sea cucumber kinds such as hanginan, susuhan, sapatos, pinyahan etc. We sell these wholesale. Feel free to call. I have samples on hand. We can schedule a personal viewing. Thanks and more abundance to all of you.

Deb said,

Hi I would like get the contact of the person that is promoting in the breeding of sea cucumber. I have queries in regard of the sea cucumber details as well as the hatchery and culture. is it always needs six months times for the sea cucumber to reach the dried weight of 200- 250 grams ?(desired market weight)

Edy said,

I’d like offer you a sea cucumber project. I know that China is the first consumer with other countries from Asia. I have thought-out that is very possible that you know of some person interested to invest in our project. We have 80% the investing for first stage the project, this only is the laboratory stage, but we need investment the second stage that is larva’s ripeness; and third stage, packaging and marketing.

What is needed in first stage are: salaries, supplies and expenses. We have infrastructure and machinery.

In the second stage is necessary: infrastructure, machinery, salaries, supplies, and expenses. We have lands with ponds

In the third stage the needs are: salaries, supplies, expenses, transportation and packing plant.

Our project is thinked to commerce to Asia and marine repopulation with Mexican government, as isostichopus fuscus is an endangered species.

I’d like send you the information our project, contains a brief summary, enviroment impact project, authorization enviroment proyect, commerce’s permission, information financial, pictures and images. The proyect is in spanish but I will translate it, I only need to know if this is of your interest.

Alli Garangan said,

Hi I have sources of Sea Cucumber in Mindanao and we can deliver in large quantity, can you help me to look for buyers…my email is alimatarg@yahoo.com skype: alimatarg hope to hear from you soon. Thanks. God bless.